Stay for screen-doors.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

E. ANDERSON.

STAY FOR SCREEN DOORS.

uruoumn rum) 11.27, 1905.

alumni liffliadcrson/ Wibnuoea wardly,

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed April 27, 1905. Serial No. 257,775.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harvey, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stays for Screen-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

As is well known, screen-doors after being in use a short while begin to sag, due to loosening of the joints of the frame, weakening of the springs, or the like, and necessitate cutting off at the bottom in order to permit the door to close without riding on the door-sill. The above gives rise to no small amount of inconvenience and labor, and this invention comprises a small and effective device adapt ed to be readily applied to the screen-door, so as to stay or brace the latter to prevent sagging or to take up sagging of parts very quickly and easily.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a device embodying the invention as when applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the parts of a device comprising the invention, showing more clearly the exact structure thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken about on the line a; a: of Fig. 2, showing the interlocking connection between the lever and the lock plate after the device has been adjusted. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken about on the line Y Y of Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and'indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

A feature of the device com rising this invention resides in its general simplicity of structure, whereby the same may be very cheaply manufactured and yet provide a stay or brace having all the necessary rigidity to accomplish the desired result. 7

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the screen-door, which is of any of the usual constructions at present in use. Secured to the lower bar of the door near the side opposite that having hinged connection with the door-frame is a small plate 2, which is screwed or otherwise secured to the door, the end portion of said so as to be spaced therefrom. The

plate being curved outstay or brace rod 3 is connected at its lower end with the outwardl curved portion of the plate2, and said rod may be made of stout wire or like material. A take up device forms a part of the stay or brace comprising this invention, and this device is secured to the rear portion of the door at a convenient point between the top and bottom thereof, this device consisting of a lock-plate 4, suitably attached to the door by means of a screw or fastening of like form. A lever 5 is pivoted between its ends to the door adjacent the lock-plate 4 as shown at 6. The pivot 6 is preferably a screw which passes through an opening near one end of the lever and a second opening in the lowerplate 4 into the frame of the screen-door 1. Projected from the end of the lever 5, adjacent the pivot 6, is a straining-lug 7, apertured, as shown at 8, so that the upper extremity of the stay-rod 3 may be passed therethrough. The upper extremity of the rod 3 is formed with a loop 9, passing through the lug 7 to form connection between the rod and the lever 5 aforesaid. The plate 4 is preferably made of sheet metal and is formed with a plurality of teeth 10, arranged upon an arc struck from the pivot 6 as a center, said teeth cooperating with the lever 5 to position the latter upon adjustment thereof. 4

To cheapen the cost of the take-up device, it is preferred that the teeth 10 be formed by projecting portions of the plate outwardly therefrom, thus forming a plurality of projections constituting the teeth 10 and open ings 1 1, which are formed by pressing out the portions, as above described. The openings 1 1 are of course adjacent the teeth 10, the latter inclining somewhat. It is likewise preferred that the lever 5 be made of sheet metal, being longitudinally corrugated, as shown at 12, to increase the rigidity thereof, an integral finger-piece 13 being bent outwardly from the lever, so as to be readily grasped in manipulating the latter. Near the finger-piece 13 said lever is provided with an inwardly projecting tooth 14, extending from the under side thereof and pressed therefrom in a manner similar to that described with reference to the formation of the teeth 10 of the lock-plate 4. The single tooth 14 of the lever 5 is adapted to engage one of the teeth 10 of the lock-plate in order to lock the lever in an ascertained position in adjusting the same. The tooth 14 also inclines from the under side of the lever and when in engagement with a selected one of the teeth 10 affords an interlocking connection between the lever and the plate 4, which effectively prevents disengagement of these parts.

In the actual use of the device above described if it is found that the screen-door is sagging to any extent it is only necessary to loosen the screw forming the pivot 6 until the lever 5 has a certain amount of outward play with respect to the lock-plate 4. This hav ing been done, the finger-piece 13 of the lever 5 is grasped and the lever is moved so as to force the straining-lug 7 upwardly, the strain upon the rod 3 lifting the lower portion of the door in an obvious manner. When the sag of the door has been taken up sufIiciently, the tooth 14 is engaged with an adjacent one of the teeth 10 to hold the lever at the neces sary adjustment, after which the screw forming the pivot 6 is screwed into the door to bear hard against the upper side of the door and hold the latter positively against the lockplate 4, with the tooth 14 interlocked with a tooth 10, engaged thereby.

The simplicity of construction of the device and the ease of operation thereof are obvious. The top of the lever 15 is curved or deflected outwardly from the portion thereof adjacent the pivot 6, so that said lever may operate freely in its movement as it is adjusted. The inclination of the teeth 10 permits the tooth 14 to ride thereover in the adjusting operation.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination, a door, .a stay or brace therefor including a stay-rod connected at one end with the door, a take-up device comprising a lock-plate, a pivoted lever connected with the stay-rod, a plurality of inclined teeth projected from the lock-plate, and a tooth projected from the lever and inclined in a direction opposite the inclination of the teeth on the lock-plate, the tooth on the lever being adapted to engage and interlock with a selected one of the teeth on the lock-plate by reason of the opposite inclination of said teeth.

2. In combination, a screen-door, a brace or stay therefor comprising a rod secured at its lower extremity to the lower portion of the door, a lock-plate secured to the upper portion of the door, a lever, a pivot for said lever comprising a screw, a straining-lug projected from the lever adjacent the pivot thereof, an aperture to receive the upper extremity of the said rod, a plurality of inclined teeth pressed upwardly from the top of the lock-plate on an are or circle struck from the pivot of the lever aforesaid as a center, and an inclined tooth pressed inwardly from the lever and extending from the under side thereof for cooperation with the teeth of the lock-plate, the tooth of the lever being adapted to engage and interlock with the inclined teeth of the lock-plate, the extremity of the lever remote from the pivot thereof having an outwardly-bent finger-piece.

3. In combination, a door, a stay or brace therefor including a stay-rod connected at one end with the door, a take-up device comprising a lock-plate, a pivoted lever connected with the stay-rod, a plurality of inclined teeth projected from the lock-plate, a tooth projected from the lever and inclined in a direction opposite the inclination of the teeth on the lock-plate, the tooth on the lever being adapted toengage andv interlock with a selected one of the teeth on the lock-plate by reason of the opposite inclination of said teeth, and an adjustable pivot for the lever adapted to positively force the lever toward the lock-plate and thereby lock the tooth on the lever in interlocking relation to the tooth of the lock-plate engaged therewith.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD ANDERSON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

O. O. FLETCHER, C. R. CARR. 

